We Speak For Ourselves

A lot of people believe that they have been appointed the official spokesperson for a group. Even better, sometimes they aren't even part of that group that the are trying to speak on behalf of.

We see this a lot with talking heads about the military and veterans. There is no one opinion in the military. As most people who have served will tell you a tremendous amount of time is spent discussing and debating opinions. While there are some common factors there are also a lot of differences.

I enlisted in the Army in my thirties, having lived six years overseas and having held two senior level jobs. My worldview was different than the person I traveled to basic training with that had never been on an airplane.

Even if you are part of a group it doesn't grant you the authority to speak for that group. We all have a voice and need to remember that is what we are using when sharing opinions. Our voice.